At the Beach
by kepulver
Summary: [G1] A closer look at what happened on that beach at Guadalcanal the day the Combaticons were reactivated by Starscream.


**Author's Note:** Takes place during "Starscream's Brigade" and is based on the shooting script for the episode (do a search for "Thirty Seconds Over Megatron" and you should be able to find it. Otherwise early all dialogue is taken from the original shooting script for the episode (click the above link to check it out). Some bits were altered to make the story flow better in a non-script format. Or, in one case, to change a bit of dialogue that made no damn sense (I changed "many light years ago" to "many vorn ago" because "light-years" are a measure of distance, not time).

Also note, the 888s are there because strips out any non-alphanumerical character I try to use to indicate scene breaks.

**On the Beach**

**Guadalcanal, 1985:**

Starscream surveyed the battered chasses of the human's war vehicles. For a brief moment, he doubted his plan. Would these decaying machines be able to withstand the addition of Cybertronian components and give him the army he needed to dethrone Megatron once and for all? Or would they crumble into rust and scrap before they even left this glorified sand dune?

For that matter, would the personality components he'd stolen still be viable? After who knew how long in the detention center, unattached to a central processor, they could have degraded into imbecility.

Nonsense. His calculations were correct. It would work! It _had_ to work. He would show the other Decepticons who their true leader was! And wipe that self-satisfied smirk off Megatron's face once and for all!

Smirking to himself he began to walk down the line, installing components into the cradles he'd cobbled together. As he worked, he spoke to his new creations. "Now, listen here! I am about to give you life," he said, installing the first component into the tank.

"In return, I expect you, to provide me with your strength," he told the jeep and bomber in their turns.

"And your undying loyalty," he advised the second plane. _Though I've added some insurance to help me obtain that._

"Until this mission is completed!" He installed the final component into the tractor/trailer rig.

He stepped back, smirking again as he struck a dramatic pose for the unveiling. "Now that I have installed your personality components, you may refer to me as your Master!" he said. "Combaticons! Transform!"

The transformation was slow, hesitant. Starscream watched the two fliers with particular interest, since their modifications were wildly different from their original vehicle forms. Slowly, the five rose up. Brawl, Swindle, Blast Off, Vortex and Onslaught -- the Combaticons were alive once more.

888

Light, blinding light followed by roaring sound. They were alive again, conscious and able to feel. After so long insensate, the influx of sensation was like being smelted alive.

"Where am I?" they screamed in chorus, voices blending into one panicked harmony. "Where is this? What's going on? Make it stop! MAKE IT STOP!"

Gradually, the voices differentiated and individuals sought one another out, calling to each other. Their radios buzzed painfully as they reestablished contact over the old frequencies. While their bodies were slow and stiff, their minds moved lightening-fast as they laughed and whimpered, brushing each other with whispered reassurances that they were once more together.

Finally, they were able to focus enough on the external world.

"Where is this place?" one of them asked.

"It ain't Cybertron, that's for sure," answered another.

"What's that blue stuff? An' why's it keep moving?"

"Dunno, but I hate it -- but not enough to want to go back to, y'know, before."

"This has got to be a trap," someone said. "What kind of game are they playing? Why would they give us our bodies back?"

"These aren't our bodies. I've got rust on me! RUST!"

"Maybe…maybe we're free." Whoever said it didn't sound entirely convinced.

"Wonderful. Free to be Megatron's slaves again."

"Where _are_ we?"

"More importantly, who's the flyboy?"

888

As Starscream watched, waiting for some sign that his Combaticons were more than just mindless drones, Onslaught stepped forward.

"Who are you," Onslaught demanded. "And what are we doing in these crude carcasses?"

Blast Off stepped up next to Onslaught. "Yes," he sneered. "I wouldn't want to be seen by anyone I know in this get-up!"

It wasn't exactly the greeting Starscream had been hoping for but a good sign nonetheless. If they could complain, they probably retained enough higher functioning to be useful -- if ungrateful -- underlings. He would have to watch them carefully, but then he'd known that the moment he'd picked them from the detention center database.

Starscream drew himself up to his full height and glared at the Combaticons with all the dignity he could muster. They stared malevolently back at him. "I am Starscream, who just rescued your hides from the Decepticon Detention Center on Cybertron where Megatron and Shockwave imprisoned you many vorn ago!"

They continued to stare at him, not bothering to hide their contempt for him. _No slag_, their expressions seemed to say.

Starscream continued. "You are fortunate I came along to release you! In return I ask that you assist me in dethroning Megatron!"

Brawl moved forward, fists clenched angrily. Starscream found himself taking a step back, warily. "What's to stop us from beating you into scrap iron?" the big tank demanded.

Starscream forced himself to remain calm, to smirk knowingly at them. "Because, my soldiers, I neglected to provide you with energy absorbers," he said, gratified to see that now the Combaticons were the wary ones. "Without them, you cannot refuel." He paused to gloat a moment more, pleased by the shocked looks on their faces. "No energy -- no life!"

The Combaticons turned, huddling together. Starscream could hear muffled bits of conversation and was delighted to see that the trick had worked. They were buying it! He had gambled on them not knowing that energy absorbers were merely redundant equipment, not essential hardware.

"So," he asked the huddle in general and Onslaught in particular. "Do we have a deal?"

There was a pause, then the Combaticons turned back to face him.

"Very well," Onslaught said, grudgingly. "We will obey you ... for now! But once we have succeeding in defeating Megatron, we must be allowed to return to Cybertron to enact our revenge!"

Starscream smiled, a huge, friendly, insincere smile. "But of course!" he said. "Prepare for immediate repairs and refurbishing ... and then we'll put you to the test!"


End file.
